Originally Posted by alamedaguy
Well, I don't mind outing myself here to clarify. I have a slightly different situation. I'm scheduled SNN-BOS-SFO-LAX, and the SNN-BOS and BOS-SFO "segments" are both flight 211. When I booked this trip, that was not the case.
Well, now that
is a different situation. If you're doing SNN-BOS-SFO with the same flight number, it's a direct flight. One of the requirements of a direct flight is that you have to sit in the same seat on all legs. Obviously, you can't be confirmed in 4A on the BOS-SFO leg, since it's sold as two-class. So you can't be confirmed in 4A (or any other seat in the front cabin) on the SNN-BOS leg either.
At least, I know that's how it would work if you had originally booked it as a direct flight... I'm not sure how things change when you book as one-stop and it later becomes direct, but it looks like AA's software treats the situation as if you had booked direct all along.
Originally Posted by alamedaguy
Whether I click on SNN-BOS or SNN-SFO, the seat map says SNN-SFO.
Yup, that's exactly what you'll see for a direct flight. Incidentally, you'll also get miles for SNN-SFO, not SNN-BOS-SFO... it's about a 550-mile difference
If I were you, I would call AA back and ask to be placed on a different BOS-SFO flight... any flight
other than flight 211. They
should waive the change fee, since it was their schedule change that precipitated your desire to change flights. You may still experience the SNN-BOS downgrade issues that others have mentioned, but at least it won't be due to that direct flight. You'll also get those extra 550 miles.